Every Jewish home is a little different. One family leaves the hallway light on all Shabbat and uses a hot plate; another family keeps a separate set of dishes for a pareve snack. A sitter who is not used to your home cannot guess those rules, and children are not always the most reliable guides. These two cards put your family's answers on one page.
How to use them: type into the fields below (or print them blank and write by hand), then press print. Post the kosher card on the refrigerator and keep the Shabbat card with your handoff sheet. Nothing you type is sent or saved; close the page when you are done.
Shabbat card for our sitter
Thank you for watching our children on Shabbat. These are our household's rules. In an emergency, safety always comes first: call 911 and use any phone, light or appliance you need.
- Please do not move, relight or blow out the Shabbat candles. Keep children well away from them.
- If a light or appliance is off and you don't need it for safety, leave it as it is.
- Keep the front door locked. Guests we expect:
Our kosher kitchen
Our kitchen keeps meat and dairy separate. If you're not sure about something, use the paper plates and plastic cutlery and ask us later; that's always fine.
- Please don't bring in outside food or treats unless we've said it's okay.
- Don't use the oven, toaster or microwave unless we've shown you which ones and how.
- Mixed something up by accident? Just set it aside and tell us. It's an easy fix.
Tips for filling in the cards
- Write rules as instructions, not terms. "Please don't turn lights on or off" is clearer for a new sitter than "no electricity on Shabbat."
- Say what is allowed. Sitters worry about getting it wrong. A short list of approved snacks and activities makes the evening easier.
- Make the emergency rule explicit. Many non-Jewish and less-observant sitters don't know that in Jewish law, protecting life comes first. Say it plainly on the card.
- Pre-set the house before candle-lighting. Lights, the hot plate, the night-light and the bathroom light should all be how you want them before you leave.
- Keep it short. One printed page per card is plenty. Longer explanations belong in a conversation earlier in the week.
For a wider guide, see Babysitting on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays and How to Prepare a Kosher Snack Station. Put everything else (contacts, routines, medical notes) on the handoff sheet.
General information for planning, last reviewed October 26, 2026. It does not replace emergency services, medical or legal advice.